With a history harking back to the Dark Ages, cobbled medieval street design, and a university established in the early fifteenth century, St Andrews is shrouded in history. Named after the Bishop of St Andrews it was largely recognised as the spiritual home of Scotland. Legend has it St Andrew, a Christian apostle had his bones brought to the town, sparking it’s long history entrenched in faith.
As the sea tumbles onto the flat and lengthy expanse of golden sand, its not hard to understand it’s affiliation as a spiritual soul, and pilgrimage destination. The ancient architecture of the town creates a fantastic skyline as the browny-black buildings contrast against the cloudless blue sky (weather permitting). West Sands beach is famous for the opening sequence in the nineteen eighties film Chariots of Fire centring on the devout Christian values of a British athlete who refuses to run on a Sunday.
(Charios of Fire opening scene by serbianhuddle)
Given the spiritual heritage of this quaint town, it seems a fitting narrative to be associated with.
Modern, technology centered society would struggle here with a lack of garish large shopping malls, and without a Starbucks on every corner. This charming town is all about independent, local business. A place to silence the ring tones, and turn up sighs of relaxation. The variety of brilliant delicatessens and gourmet ice cream shops is stomach stretching. Jenetta’s Gelateria has queues stretching across the street, saying something in a town center which is less than a mile wide.
The highly acclaimed University of St Andrews ranked fourth in the UK, continues the history embedded in this Scottish region. 1413 marks the university’s founding year, and twenty thirteen sees it celebrate its six-hundredth anniversary. Quadrangles, traditional ceremonies and the infamous red gowns epitomise St Andrews as a place of excellence to study with alumni including our very own Duke and Dutchess of Cambridge, Prince William and Princess Katherine.
Despite such historic duties and customs to attend to as student of this establishment, student relaxation involves fires on the beach under the dark star-laden skies, toasting marshmallows next to the rolling waves. The students breathe a contemporary buzz into this peaceful town, keeping it in touch with modern habits.
Aside from history, religion, and education, St Andrews is also the international home of golf. The sport was played you guessed it, as early back as the fifteenth century, after ironically, it had been banned by King James in 1457. The small town boasts eight championship courses which have been played by world renowned golfers during the years. The Royals and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews has carried a high prestige, evidenced by the society’s patronage.
Wildlife can also be found a little distance from the beating heart of the town center. Tensmuir Forest offers wildlife enthusiasts the chance to site porpoises, dolphins, wild deer, and a variety of birds. To the south of St Andrews, the Fifth coastal path stretches one hundred and seventeen miles, winding past award winning beaches offering levels of difficulty ranging from “easy to wild and demanding”.
St Andrews provides a bustling yet relaxed sea-side town in which to browse. Peruse the shops before taking a refreshing walk along the coastal paths and beaches concluding with a well-deserved ice cream. It has something for everyone, and the friendly atmosphere, has you coming back again and again. The quaint town, great locals and variety of activities makes this the perfect destination for a long weekend getaway. Despite sharing it with you, perhaps this is one to keep to yourselves. A hidden gem in the British Isles.
Honey comb ice cream courtesy of Jenetta’s Gelateria by jenniferjuniper images
Jennifer Juniper 